The process of giving birth brings with it some inherent complications. Unfortunately, though, there are also some avoidable mistakes that carry very serious consequences. Birth injuries tend to be quite serious because the newborn baby has a relatively loose hold on life, as they have not yet fully developed many of the bodily functions necessary for maintaining health.
Types of Birth Injuries
Various birth injuries can be caused by not performing a C-section at the correct time, or pressure on the baby’s head. Most are caused by lack of oxygen, which is most often the result of the umbilical cord being wrapped around the baby. The lack of oxygen can cause very serious brain problems, including cerebral palsy. Some of the more common birth injuries are:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Erb’s Palsy
- Cephalohematoma
- Facial Paralysis
- Brain and Spinal Damage
- Post-natal Infections
- Shaken Baby Syndrome
Birth injuries can be especially tragic, not only due to their effects on the baby, but also because of the heartache, anxiety, and financial stress that a family must endure.
Cerebral Palsy
Accidents that arise during the birthing process have the potential to cause some of the most detrimental and saddening injuries a human can sustain. These afflictions typically have consequences that remain with the infant for the remainder of his or her life. One of the worst complications that may arise from an injury sustained during birth is a condition known as cerebral palsy. Children who have been diagnosed with this type of developmental damage will never have full control over their bodies’ abilities to properly and freely move as they please.
What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
While cerebral palsy is not always resultant from a birth injury or doctor’s error during delivery, these two incidents are still a large cause of this type of complication. Head injuries, including trauma to the brain or lack of oxygen, may lead to the development of cerebral palsy (CP). Although CP sometimes may not be detected until several months or even years later, the child develops this disorder before or during birth.
Birth injuries caused by doctors’ errors or complications during labor and delivery are common causes of cerebral palsy.
- Oxygen deprivation due to twisting/compressing the umbilical cord
- Baby too large for delivery
- Uncommon birth situation, such as a breech delivery
Doctors should have the proper training to recognize and remedy the above situations before they cause any health damage to the baby. However, sometimes these issues go by unnoticed, and an innocent child suffers. Cerebral palsy lawyers can help you pursue your legal right to compensation in this situation.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
There are three main types of cerebral palsy that a child may develop.
- Spastic CP: affects the majority of cerebral palsy patients; results in permanently contract muscles
- Athetoid CP: affects 10-20% of CP patients; results in slow and jerky, uncontrolled movements
- Ataxic CP: the rarest form of CP; results in a lack of depth perception, coordination, and balance